Signal flare

ABSTRACT

A signal flare having a container with a plurality of propulsion nozzles in the aft end and having a propellant charge therein. A flare propellant is provided in the forward end of the container and is arranged to be ignited by the burning of the propellant charge. A plurality of flare nozzles are also provided in the aft end of the signal container and a quantity of flare dye is positioned between the flare propellant and the flare nozzles. The contact of hot flare propellant gases with the flare dye causes ablation of the flare dye so that the dye colors the hot flare propellant gases which are dispersed through the flare nozzles.

United States Patent Evans [451 June 20, 1972 [73] Assignee: The UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy [22]Filed: April 30, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 33,396

1,879,579 9/1932 Stolfa et al 102/34 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A.Borchelt Assistant ExaminerH. J. Tudor Attorney-R. S. Sciascia, H. H.Losche and Paul S. Collignon [57] ABSTRACT A signal flare having acontainer with a plurality of propulsion nozzles in the aft end andhaving a propellant charge therein. A flare propellant is provided inthe forward end of the container and is arranged to be ignited by theburning of the propellant charge. A plurality of flare nozzles are alsoprovided in the aft end of the signal container and a quantity of flaredye is positioned between the flare propellant and the flare nozzles.The contact of hot flare propellant gases with the flare dye causesablation of the flare dye so that the dye colors the hot flarepropellant gases which are dispersed through the flare nozzles.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATE'NTEDauuzo m2 Y INVENT ROBERTWEV SSIGNAL FLARE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relatesto a signal flare and more particularly to a signal projectile which canbe fired from a handheld launcher to provide a trail of color smoke.

Many varieties of flares and flare guns are used, particularly by themilitary, for signalling. Small hand-held launchers are carried by somemilitary personnel, particularly aircraft pilots, to facilitatesignalling when they need to show their position on the ground or inwater. One such hand-held launcher and flare cartridge is shown in U.S.Pat. No. 3,044,360, which issued Dec. 1, 1960, to Russell 0. Stefan andAnton G. Lang. In this patent there is shown and described a flare gunequipped with a flare cartridge. The flare cartridge has a die-formedmetal body which includes a thin cylindrical gun barrel 48 which is openat its upper end and has at its lower end a thin head from which anexternally threaded nipple extends. This nipple has a bore in which aprimer cap is seated. The flare cartridge also includes a flareprojectile which includes a thin cylindrical metal casing which isclosed at its upper end and open at its bottom end. A solid powdercharge and solid flare charge are pressed in the flare cartridge withthe solid powder charge being adjacent the primer. The flare charge isselected from chemicals which will produce different colors when ignitedand burn with a bright, hot flame.

In US. Pat. No.'3,l02,477, which issued Sept. 3, 1963, to Russell 0.Stefan and Anton G. Lang, there is shown a rocket signal device similarto the above-described patented device. In this later dated patent,however, the described device has a fuse charge which is ignited in amanner to delay its burning and thus assure that a substantial portionof the mass of the fuse will remain unconsumed during a considerableportion of the upward flight of the projectile. This delay featurecontributes to the momentum aiding in the ascent of the projectile andalso defers the ignition of the signal charge until the projectile hasreached an altitude where it will be an effective signal.

Various devices have been employed in the past to provide means forfollowing the path of an aircraft or a missile. For example, in US Pat.No. 2,986,999, which issued June 6, 1961, to Willy A. Fiedler et al.,there is shown a parasitic tracking flare capable of being externallymounted adjacent the nozzle of an aircrafts jet motor and ignited by thehot motor exhaust gases. The flare is attached to some externalappendage of the missile by a suitable mount to avoid a missile designchange.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a signal flarewhich is designed to be launched from a hand-held launcher. The signalflare is comprised of a body which contains a quantity of propellantwhich, upon burning, provides gases for propelling the flare. A smallquantity of flare composition is provided in the forward end of theflare body and is ignited from the buming propellant. Combustion gasesfrom the flare composition pass rearwardly through an orifice plate andcontact flare dye which vaporizes to color the combustion gases from theflare composition. The colored combustion gases pass out of the bodythrough flare nozzles to provide colored smoke as the flare travels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is an end view of a preferredembodiment of the present invention showing motor and flare nozzles; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing,there is shown a signal flare having an outer container 11 to which aweight 12 is attached to facilitate passage of the signal flare througha canopy of vegetation, such as the foliage of a jungle. Weight 12 isattached as by riveting to the forward end of container 11 and the aftend of container 11 1S closed by plate 13 which has a plurality ofnozzles 14 therein. An inner container 15 is provided inside container11 and contains a quantity of propellant 16. An igniter composition 17is provided to initiate burning of propellant 16. By way of example,propellant 16 might be a cellulose ester propellant composition such asis disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,966,405, which issued Dec. 27, 1960, toArthur W. Sloan and Lester L. Weil.

A quantity of flare composition 18 is provided in the forward end ofcontainer 11, and support bracket 19, to which inner container 15 issecured, is provided with a passageway 21 in order that flarecomposition 18 might be ignited by the heat and flames produced from theburning of propellant 16. By way of example, flare composition 18 mightbe of the same composition as propellant 16. A quantity of dye 22 isprovided in the space between container 1 l and inner container 15 andan orifice plate 23, which separates flare composition 18 and dye 22, isprovided with a plurality of openings 24. By way of example, dye 22might be alpha methyl amino antaraquinone. The space between container11 and inner container 15 is closed at the aft end by ring plate 25which is provided with a plurality of flare nozzles 26.

OPERATION The signal flare of the present invention is launched byigniting igniter composition 17, as by lighting a fuze passed throughone nozzle 14, which, in turn, ignites propellant 16. The gases formedby burning propellant 16 pass through nozzles 14 to drive the signallingflare. Nozzles 14 are canted which causes the signal flare to rotate inflight thereby providing additional stability.

Heat and flames from propellant 16 pass through passageway 21 and igniteflare composition 18. The smoke and hot gases from flare composition 18pass through openings 24 in orifice plate 23 and into the space betweencontainer 11 and inner container 15. The hot gases from flarecomposition 18 causes ablation of dye 22 and dye 22 colors the smoke andgases from flare composition 18. The colored smoke and gases passthrough nozzles 26 in ring plate 25 to provide a colored smoke trailduring flight of the signal flare.

Iclaim:

l. A signal flare comprising:

an outer cylindrical container having a closed forward end,

an inner cylindrical container positioned inside said outer cylindricalcontainer and having its aft end closed by a plate having at least onepropulsion nozzle therein,

a quantity of propellant within said inner cylindrical container,

a quantity of flare composition and a quantity of dye contained betweensaid inner and outer cylindrical containers,

a passageway connecting said inner container and the space between saidinner container and said outer container whereby said flare compositioncan be ignited by burning said propellant, and

a ring plate positioned at the aft end between said inner and outercylindrical containers, said ring plate having at least one nozzletherein for emitting colored smoke during flight of said signal flare.

2. A signal flare as set forth in claim 1 having an orifice plateseparating said flare composition and said dye, said orifice platehaving an orifice therein whereby smoke produced by burning said flarecomposition passes through said orifice and is colored by said dye.

3. A signal flare as set forth in claim 1 having a quantity of ignitercomposition for igniting said propellant.

4. A signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dye is alphamethyl amino antaraquinone.

1. A signal flare comprising: an outer cylindrical container having aclosed forward end, an inner cylindrical container positioned insidesaid outer cylindrical container and having its aft end closed by aplate having at least one propulsion nozzle therein, a quantity ofpropellant within said inner cylindrical container, a quantity of flarecomposition and a quantity of dye contained between said inner and outercylindrical containers, a Passageway connecting said inner container andthe space between said inner container and said outer container wherebysaid flare composition can be ignited by burning said propellant, and aring plate positioned at the aft end between said inner and outercylindrical containers, said ring plate having at least one nozzletherein for emitting colored smoke during flight of said signal flare.2. A signal flare as set forth in claim 1 having an orifice plateseparating said flare composition and said dye, said orifice platehaving an orifice therein whereby smoke produced by burning said flarecomposition passes through said orifice and is colored by said dye.
 3. Asignal flare as set forth in claim 1 having a quantity of ignitercomposition for igniting said propellant.
 4. A signal flare as set forthin claim 1 wherein said dye is alpha methyl amino antaraquinone.